Vitali did stress,though, that younger brother Wladimir will continue to dominate the heavyweight scene for years to come.

"Wladimir is five years younger and he will continue delighting you with his fights for a long time," Vitali said.

Vitali boasts a record of 43 win from 45 fights in a professional career that began in 1999.

It looks as though once Vitali has retired for good he will focus his attention on Ukrainian politics. Last year he founded the opposition Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) - an acronym that means "punch" or "strike".